The How To Rent Guide (“HTR”) is one of the documents that should be served on an assured shorthold tenant on or before commencement of the tenancy. This has been a requirement for all new and renewal tenancies from October 2015. If the landlord failed to serve the HTR (or has served an incorrect edition), this prevents them from serving a valid section 21 notice (i.e. the “no fault” notice).
You can find the latest version (October 2023) on the government website. Frustratingly, the site does not provide any earlier editions. Landlords may need copies of earlier editions for possession proceedings. Notably, the accelerated (section 21) claim form requests landlords exhibit the HTR that was served on the tenant and confirm the date of service.
You can still serve a valid section 21 if you re-serve the HTR beforehand. This does not prevent the tenant from bringing a defence or the judge having issue with the same, however, it should not ‘invalidate’ the notice.
The most risk-adverse approach to HTR service is:
- Serve the correct version on commencement;
- Serve the correct version on each renewal;
- Serve any updated version when this is released;
- Re-serve the relevant HTR when a tenancy becomes periodic;
- Re-serve before service of a section 21 notice.
Please note that 1-3 are requirements. 4-5 are there for extra precaution. In our experience, we have seen tenants argue a tenancy becoming periodic creates a ‘new’ tenancy. Following a risk adverse approach should minimise the chance of a tenant raising such arguments which could delay court proceedings and increase costs.
Please see our comprehensive list of all HTR editions below. Follow the links to download.
Date the HTR came into force | Download link |
2 October 2023 | Download |
24 March 2023 | Download |
21 July 2021 | Download |
21 July 2021 (easy read version) | Download |
10 December 2020 | Download |
29 July 2019 (slight changes but still dated May 2019) | Download |
3 June 2019 (slight changes but still dated May 2019) | Download |
31 May 2019 | Download |
6 July 2018 (backdated to 26 June 2018) | Download |
26 June 2018 | Download |
17 January 2018 | Download |
1 February 2016 | Download |
1 October 2015 | Download |
Please contact our team at LandlordSolicitors.com to assist with your property disputes- call us today on 0330 043 6162
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